Services designed to provide relief of symptoms that interfere with quality of life when treatments won't change the time course of the illness.
Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease.
Treatment to relieve, rather than cure, symptoms caused by cancer. Palliative care can help people live more comfortably.
Goals of Palliative Care:
- To prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of the disease, side effects caused by treatment of the disease
- To prevent or treat psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to the disease or its treatment.
- To help people with life-threatening disease to live more comfortably.
Also known as: Comfort care, supportive care and symptom management.
See also: End-of-life care, Hospice
Sources:
DeSpelder LA. Strickland AL. 2005. The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying. 7th Edition. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill.
Lynn J. Schuster JL. and Kabcenell A. Glossary. Improving Care for the End of Life: A Sourcebook for Health Care Managers and Clinicians. Online Version at: http://www.mywhatever.com/cifwriter/content/66/4620.html
University of Michigan. RadOnc: Glossary of Terms. At: http://www.med.umich.edu/radonc/glossary.htm
